Rams Report to Training Camp with Optimism for '07

Thursday, July 26, 2007

By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

As player after player jumped out of their cars and unpacked in front of the team’s training camp hotel to report for the first day of the 2007 training camp, the usual message from all NFL teams was the message of the day.

With the arrival of training camp comes the emergence of hope in 32 NFL cities. The real games are over a month away and the records are all the same. In St. Louis, it was no different as the Rams talked about trying to carry over momentum from their flourishing finish a year ago and the possibilities for an offense that, on paper, has the ability to be one of the best in the league.

Following his breakout season in 2006, nobody exemplified the eternal optimism of the first day of camp more than running back Steven Jackson. As he hopped out of his Mercedes vehicle, Jackson had a big grin on his face and his “I Believe” t-shirt on with the sunny disposition of a player with grand plans for the 2007 season.

“It’s part of a promotion and I thought it would be perfect to wear today because it’s a new season and a fresh start,” Jackson said.

Indeed. A new beginning equals a new chance to vie for the NFL’s top prize and a berth in the Super Bowl. What might be a realistic goal for some teams isn’t as realistic when the season starts. But for at least a month, those hopes stay intact.

For the Rams, a strong finish to an average season has created plenty of enthusiasm in Earth City. While it remains to be seen if any of that momentum can actually carry over from one season to the next, the Rams have reason to believe they can make more strides in the second year of the coach Scott Linehan era.

For that reason and many others, this is Linehan’s favorite part of the year.

“In all seriousness it is,” Linehan said. “There has been a lot of work put in by everybody to get here. There is a lot of work ahead. It’s exciting when guys show up in shape. I have a good feeling about that. Some guys have a look about them and there’s a lot of excitement within the team and the players. I think that’s the fun part.”

Most of the 86 players listed on the Rams’ roster reported to camp Thursday afternoon. Only three players were not present. Quarterback Marc Bulger and rookie defensive tackle Adam Carriker (see accompanying story) were not in attendance as their representatives worked on contracts for their clients. Undrafted rookie linebacker Kevin McLee was also absent because of a death in the family.

But the optimism around the team is more than reasonable considering the way the team finished the year and the offseason it had. When practice opens Friday morning, every Ram in attendance will be cleared to play as all injuries have been healed to the point of full clearance. That means linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa is ready to go along with fellow rehabbers Andy McCollum, Orlando Pace and Tye Hill.

For his part, Pace even reported to camp looking svelte and checking in at 321 pounds, his lowest weight ever for a camp arrival.

Now that he has a year in St. Louis and with his veterans, Linehan also is going to make a more concerted effort to manage his older players and preserve them for the real thing.

“Everybody is cleared full go,” Linehan said. “We will probably budget our over 30 players, especially as far as time on some of them. I think we do a good job of that. We don’t have any players that are limited for any reason right now as far as practice.”

That’s welcome news for the veterans, including defensive tackle La’Roi Glover, who admittedly doesn’t enjoy camp but understands that it’s a necessary evil.

“This is part of the deal, though,” defensive tackle La’Roi Glover said. “You have to go through training camp, you have to go through the process, you have to go through the grind.”

Re: Rams Report to Training Camp with Optimism for '07

When practice opens Friday morning, every Ram in attendance will be cleared to play as all injuries have been healed to the point of full clearance. That means linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa is ready to go along with fellow rehabbers Andy McCollum, Orlando Pace and Tye Hill.

Re: Rams Report to Training Camp with Optimism for '07

It's very nice to have everyone healthy, considering that some teams have been hurt already by off season injuries, particularly the Falcons. If there's any team going for the number one pick next year already it's them. It seems like half their defense is already hurt, Dunn is going to miss the pre-season, and well, they have Harrington as their starter.